Project No-buck!

[sbc383rulz]

so how goes the battle? love the truck and cant wait to see progress!!

[Ackattack]

Originally Posted by sbc383rulz

so how goes the battle? love the truck and cant wait to see progress!!

It's judgement day (closing day) and the bank is winning...or at least delaying.....so we're still waiting.

Hope to get my passenger side mirror installed, new tires and an alignment before moving day.

[Ackattack]

Got my mirror installed.

Got new tires on (went with 235/75/15.....figure they're cheaper for now and will do good in the snow) I'm thinking I'm going to get 20" Boss 338s eventually, but for now they'll work.

Also got the alignment done.

Seems to drive around good, and the slightly shorter tires its seems better taking off in 2nd (sm 465) with the 3.08 gears.

[1BadSS]

Glad to see you made it to KS. Looks like the truck is coming along!

[mcbassin]

Where's the pictures Ack?

[Ackattack]

no pictures.....I think all the cables to upload them are packed anyways.

Honestly, I don't like the way the rear tires look. With the rear being narrower than the front, it looks goofy to me. I ran into this same thing with my 72, so I'll probably do the same as I did there and run a set of spacers on the rear.

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by Ackattack

It's judgement day (closing day) and the bank is winning...or at least delaying.....so we're still waiting.

Hope to get my passenger side mirror installed, new tires and an alignment before moving day.

Good luck with the closing. I hate dealing with the banks.

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by Ackattack

no pictures.....I think all the cables to upload them are packed anyways.

Honestly, I don't like the way the rear tires look. With the rear being narrower than the front, it looks goofy to me. I ran into this same thing with my 72, so I'll probably do the same as I did there and run a set of spacers on the rear.

What about trying to retrofit a newer rear end into the truck that is wider instead of spacers?

I know the 88-up trucks rear end is a little wider than a square body and fixes their offset wheel placement issue. I wonder if one or the other would do the same for a 67-72?

It may end up being cheaper than the spacers and give you a chance to get gears you want and a posi too while you are at it.

[Ackattack]

Originally Posted by 68 TT

What about trying to retrofit a newer rear end into the truck that is wider instead of spacers?

I know the 88-up trucks rear end is a little wider than a square body and fixes their offset wheel placement issue. I wonder if one or the other would do the same for a 67-72?

It may end up being cheaper than the spacers and give you a chance to get gears you want and a posi too while you are at it.

I thought the 88-up trucks were 10 bolts. Might be something to look into. I'm considering buying a 88+ parts truck anyways for a TBI swap.

I got a posi

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by Ackattack

I thought the 88-up trucks were 10 bolts. Might be something to look into. I'm considering buying a 88+ parts truck anyways for a TBI swap.

I got a posi

They are 10-bolts but have 8-1/2" ring gears and the newer ones have 30-spline axles. They are stronger than the truck 12-bolt with their larger pinion diameter and much easier to get parts for.

The square body 88-91 Suburbans did not get the 30-spline version from what I have been told so to be safe I would look for a truck as your TBI donor.

[Ackattack]

The house is mine!!!! No buck made its first moving run, and came back on the freeway at 65 and it rides real nice with the new tires and drives straight.

Bruiser will be going over shortly to get tucked into its new bed

[Ackattack]

Originally Posted by 68 TT

They are 10-bolts but have 8-1/2" ring gears and the newer ones have 30-spline axles. They are stronger than the truck 12-bolt with their larger pinion diameter and much easier to get parts for.

The square body 88-91 Suburbans did not get the 30-spline version from what I have been told so to be safe I would look for a truck as your TBI donor.

Good info on the rearend. I did not know that. What gears would be available? I guess whatever came with the 5 speed would probably be a good match!

[mcbassin]

Congrats on the house!

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by Ackattack

Good info on the rearend. I did not know that. What gears would be available? I guess whatever came with the 5 speed would probably be a good match!

I've personally owned 88-up Chevy's with 3.42, 3.73 & 4.10 gears. I would assume you could get something out of that range but I have not seen them in the half ton application, only in 14-bolts.

With a 2wd truck and relatively short tires I would go with the 3.42's. They are pretty common too so it won't be hard to find them.

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Congrats on the house!

x2!!!!

Glad it worked out for you.

[Ackattack]

So now that we're moved in, have gotten settled in pretty good, and got my shop set up its time to get some work done on this truck.

The first thing is its looks. As it sits right now, it looks like a christmas ornament being red, green, and white. So I pulled it into the shop last night and started sanding, hammering, and mudding. I'm gonna get it all painted up finally.

I also figured out a logo to put on it for the "shop truck".



I remember going to big a auto parts when I was about 4 with my dad. They had a counter with bar stools that would spin. Being a 4 year old, I'd sit up there and spin around while my dad was ordering whatever (or BSing...I don't know...I was 4).

I think It will look pretty cool, and should be pretty easy to paint on. I even convinced my wife to do the painting of it, to get her involved a little.

I also have the clips to put the trim on the grill and head light bezels. The alignment of the hood/fenders/grill isn't right, so I think the cab is on just a little crooked. I'll loosend up some bolts and see if I can wiggle it around a little.

[Trailrider95]

Lookin forward to some pictures!
Glad to hear you're able to start working on the truck, and I like that idea of the shop truck. What color are you gonna paint the truck though?

[Ackattack]

Originally Posted by Trailrider95

Lookin forward to some pictures!
Glad to hear you're able to start working on the truck, and I like that idea of the shop truck. What color are you gonna paint the truck though?

Its going to be the flat red like the front clip is. The grill inserts (for lack of a better term) are off white to add a little contrast. And I'm going to paint the "CHEVROLET" in the tailgate the same off white.

[68 TT]

Glad you got settled in and can now get back to working on the trucks again.

[Ackattack]

Some progress on the bed side





And I also removed the tailgate. It needs a few repairs too. The paint on it was flaking real bad, so I decided it would be best to strip it.

[68 TT]

Nice to make some progress isn't it.

I'm finally able to get back to working on my trucks after seven months off for recovery from two separate accidents. It feels good.

[Ackattack]

A bit more progress on the body work:

I almost have the drivers side bed ready for paint. I put one last coat of high build primer on it tonight, so hopefully a little sanding and the bedside will be ready.

I also started welding up some holes in the door from various mirrors that have been installed over the years, and then the holes from the custom badge. There is just a touch of a rust hole at the bottom front corner that I'll need to do a little repair on. The door also has holes for trim, but I didn't fill them in cause I'm thinking I'm going to install the 67-68 side trim.

I also put a little bright work on the front end.



I've been sellling a few parts, so I have a little money to spend, so I ordered an ECE super track bar and shock relocator. By installing the super track bar, then I should be able to run my passenger side exhaust the rest of the way back. The rearend doesn't have the original style panhard bar mount ear, so a previous owner welded a large panhard bar mount to the rear that prevents me from routing the exhaust through there.

I"m also going to order one of the grand cherokee electric fans, but thought I'd wait to order it for when I have more things to get from summit than just that to save a little on their handling fee.

[mcbassin]

Nice work on the front clip Ack. It looks great. You sure have taken this project a long ways.

[Ackattack]

Just ordered a suprise for my truck.....but you all will just have to wait

[Palf70Step]

I thought the twin-turbo was going on Bruiser?